Saint-Etienne: the ephemeral materials library has opened its doors

Friday, November 8, the first ephemeral materials library in Saint-Etienne opened its doors, as part of the requalification of rue des Rochettes, in Monthieu. Epase, through this initiative, wishes to give a second life to the materials recovered during these deconstructions.

« Here, we are investing to create a more attractive entrance to the city and we are testing other ways of doing thingsexplains Yvan Astier, general director of Epase. We found another way to use what existed.” For two years, the Saint-Etienne Public Development Establishment has been working on the creation of this ephemeral material library.

In the spring, he began the deconstruction of the businesses on rue des Rochettes, in Monthieu in the Pont de l'Âne area. A wasteland which is a “stain” at the entrance to the town, and which will eventually give way to an area of ​​industrial and artisanal activity.

An online catalog

Until then, a temporary materials library opened its doors on Friday, November 8, in place of the former Gémo store. Open to professionals and individuals alike, it allows you to obtain materials at a lower cost. Lighting, doors, sanitary facilities, beams, radiators, fire extinguishers… a wide range is available on Friday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. “ These times have been designed to disturb the construction site in progress as little as possible.specifies Yvan Astier. A catalog is available online, so you can know what is available and come accordingly.” While awaiting its destruction, the building is therefore dedicated to recycling… deconstruction.

1,000 square meters

And the quantity of materials is impressive. “ Can you imagine? Everything was destined to go to the landfill otherwise”points out the director. Over the 1,000 square meters of the building, the “waste” is carefully arranged and arranged by category, after having been sorted beforehand. Management of the materials library, called G'Mat, has been entrusted to the Isère association Aplomb-Ecomat, specialized in the reuse of materials.

Thus, Epase resells them at a lower cost so that it can in turn offer them at solidarity prices. While waiting for the deconstruction of the six remaining buildings on rue des Rochettes, the G'Mat materials library should remain open for one year.